Blizzard Celebrates StarCraft 2's Third Birthday

Has it already been three years? Apparently so, as Blizzard's StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty for the PC launched on July 27, 2010. The company is now celebrating the game's third birthday by offering a few goodies to both long-time loyal players and new gamers alike. Of course, there's no cake and ice cream, but the gifts to gamers are increased aplenty including XP gains and unlocked classes for the Starter Edition.

"For a limited time, we’ve increased the XP gains you get when you play StarCraft II by 25 percent," the company said. "It’s the perfect time to log in and play some Multiplayer, or Versus A.I., or Training Mode games. Perhaps you’d like to level up the race you play the least often. Now’s the time!"

The company also said that all three races are now unlocked in the Starter Edition. Potential customers can now check out the game from both the Protos and Zerg perspective in addition to the Human side of the Wings of Liberty story. Typically, the demo provides the first five missions of the Terran-based single-player campaign, and a portion of the multiplayer component pitting the player against the game's A.I. Spawning was added back in June, allowing Starter Edition gamers to play online with friends who own the retail version of Windows of Liberty and Heart of the Swarm.

"While Starter Edition players have access to much of the game, there are many features that they previously couldn’t try before upgrading to the full game," Blizzard said. "Spawning closes that gap. Any player at a lower expansion level who joins a party that includes a player at a higher expansion level is Spawned up, and gets to play using the features and options of the highest expansion level for as long as they’re in a party together."

As for the birthday wallpaper, Blizzard said that Luke “Mr. Jack” Mancini reworked the 15th Anniversary ‘line up’ wallpaper with edgier, grittier results. These can be downloaded here in multiple resolutions.